 "Neither Gaza nor Ukraine: Sudan endures world’s worst humanitarian crisis")
Sudan is in the throes of a horrendous humanitarian crisis–famine, hunger, displacement and disease. Located in North Africa with a population of 50 million, it is the third most populous country in the continent. It also ranks third in land area among African nations—1,886,068 km²—behind only Algeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo, making it the fifteenth-largest country globally.
Sudan is rich in natural resources including gold, iron ore, copper, chromite, asbestos, and rare earth elements. It is also an oil-producing nation, although many of its oil reserves were lost to South Sudan after its secession. Despite its resources, Sudan remained one of the poorest countries globally, with a per capita income of just $750 in 2022. Following the eruption of civil war in 2023, the country’s revenues plunged by 80 per cent in 2024, according to its Finance Minister.
Why Sudan, Why Now
The ongoing civil war, now in its third year, has devastated Sudan, giving rise to a humanitarian crisis of unimaginable scale. The suffering surpasses that seen in Gaza, Ukraine, Libya, and Syria combined. The nation now faces famine, hunger, genocide, and large-scale displacement.
Sudan desperately needs collective global action to end the war. Yet, arms-producing powers are fueling the fire, supplying weapons to the warring factions—two former allies now turned enemies.
In this piece, I trace Sudan’s 70-year descent into conflict, examine its present condition, and explore a possible path forward.
Litanies of Woes
Sudan’s history is marked by relentless suffering: 35 coups d’état and a succession of brutal civil wars. These internal conflicts have brought about mass killings, displacement, famine, hunger, and a catastrophic collapse in public health.
The burden is staggering for a single nation.
Faced with where to begin, I start with the most immediate catastrophe: the cholera epidemic, which has been triggered by widespread famine, hunger, and displacement.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsCholera Beyond Borders
On August 14, a communiqué from Médecins Sans Frontières (Doctors Without Borders) declared Sudan to be in the grip of one of the world’s worst cholera epidemics.
Thousands of new cases emerge weekly, with hundreds dying. Humanitarian agencies are struggling to contain the outbreak.
Cholera has already spread beyond Sudan’s borders, carried by refugees:
South Sudan: Over 80,000 cases and 1,500 deaths since October 2024
Angola: Worst outbreak in two decades, with 26,000 cases and 750+ deaths
Democratic Republic of Congo: 30,000 cases and 650+ deaths
The rainy season is worsening the crisis by further contaminating already unsafe water sources.
At the heart of the epidemic is the ongoing civil war between the Sudanese Army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Unless the war—and resulting displacement—ends, the crisis will escalate.
Famine: The Bottom Line
According to the UN World Food Programme:
“One year since famine was first confirmed in Sudan’s Zamzam camp in North Darfur, families trapped inside the besieged state capital, El Fasher, face starvation.”
With humanitarian access cut off, survival depends on dwindling supplies.
Eric Perdison, WFP Regional Director for Eastern and Southern Africa, adds:
“Everyone in El Fasher is facing a daily struggle to survive… People’s coping mechanisms have been completely exhausted by over two years of war.”
This crisis demands repeated attention—and will be revisited throughout this piece.
The Breech Delivery: Becoming a Nation
Sudan’s modern journey began on January 1, 1956, with its independence from joint British-Egyptian control. The Sudanese flag was raised by Prime Minister Ismail al-Azhari at the People’s Palace, marking a symbolic new beginning.
But the birth of Sudan as a nation was what one might call a “breech delivery”. It has lived dangerously ever since.
Coups d’État
From its fragile democracy in 1956, Sudan descended into decades of coups, military dictatorships, and one-party rule. In just 70 years, Sudan has experienced 35 coups—6 successful, 12 failed, and 17 foiled.
The first military rule came swiftly on November 16-17, 1958, when Army Commander-in-Chief Ibrahim Abboud led a bloodless coup, banning political parties and suspending civil liberties.
Successive military rulers included:
Ibrahim Abboud (1958–1964)
Gaafar Nimeiry (1969–1985)
Omar al-Bashir (1989–2019)
Abdel Fattah al-Burhan (2019–present)
These regimes oversaw some of the bloodiest civil wars in modern history.
North-South Civil Wars
Sudan has endured civil wars for 50 of its 70 years of independence. Two North-South civil wars spanned 39 years, eventually resulting in the creation of South Sudan in 2011.
First Civil War (1955–1972): 17 years, ~1 million deaths. Ended with the Addis Ababa Agreement.
Second Civil War (1983–2005): 22 years, ~2 million deaths, 4 million displaced. Ended with the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.
But peace was short-lived. Even before the second war ended, a new one had begun—in Darfur.
Darfur’s Sorrow: War and Genocide (2003–2020)
In 2003, rebel groups like the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) took up arms over unequal resource distribution and marginalisation. The conflict escalated when the government deployed its infamous Janjaweed militia.
According to UN data:
300,000 killed
3 million displaced
Widespread atrocities against Darfur’s non-Arab communities
The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued arrest warrants for senior Sudanese officials, including Omar al-Bashir, for crimes against humanity.
In 2013, a new paramilitary force—Rapid Support Forces (RSF)—was formed. Led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (“Hemedti”), it eventually joined forces with General Burhan to oust al-Bashir in 2019.
From Bashir’s Ouster to the New Civil War
In April 2023, long-simmering tensions between Gen Burhan (Sudan Armed Forces) and Hemedti (RSF) exploded into a full-scale war. Their fallout over the integration of RSF into the national army devolved into open conflict.
The RSF swiftly took much of Khartoum, holding it until March 2025, when the army reclaimed control. The war, however, continues to rage—deadlier than the Israel-Hamas or Russia-Ukraine conflicts.
A Nightmare Comes True
In May 2023, former Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok warned The New York Times:
“If it descends into a full-blown civil war, it will be a nightmare for the world.”
That nightmare is now reality. The civil war has become a humanitarian disaster of unprecedented scale.
Who Is Helping Whom
Both the Sudanese Army and the RSF face accusations of war crimes and human rights violations. Foreign powers are fueling the conflict:
Sudanese Army (Burhan): Supported by Egypt, Eritrea, Iran, Ukraine, Turkey, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia
RSF (Hemedti): Initially backed by UAE and Russian Wagner forces. Sudan has accused UAE of complicity in genocide.
Russia has recently shifted allegiance to the Sudanese military, hoping to gain naval access to Sudan’s Red Sea coast.
Where Is the War Heading?
After the army recaptured central Khartoum, the conflict shifted to western regions—particularly Kordofan and Darfur, where the RSF holds most territory except El Fasher.
Kordofan is now the critical battleground. Civilians are caught in the crossfire:
UN reports: 60 civilians killed in North Kordofan by RSF
Army airstrikes killed 34 people in West and North Kordofan
UNICEF: Schools and hospitals targeted, with children and pregnant women among the victims
This is just a glimpse of a larger, horrific picture.
Horrendous Collateral Damage
The scale of the devastation:
14 million internally displaced—more than Gaza and Ukraine combined
4 million fled abroad, mostly to fragile nations like Chad and South Sudan
150,000+ killed (actual numbers likely higher)
24.6 million food insecure, including 637,000 at risk of starvation
17 million children out of school
Cholera and malaria epidemics worsening
Atrocities in Darfur: villages burned, civilians massacred, and aid camps attacked
The Worst Humanitarian Crisis
The famine is the most alarming consequence. First confirmed in Zamzam camp in August 2024, it has spread to 10 regions, with 17 others at immediate risk. Over 400,000 people are trapped without aid.
With both sides blocking humanitarian access, Sudan remains the only country currently classified as experiencing famine.
Towards a Solution
Sudan is on the brink of another partition. World powers have turned a blind eye, distracted by other conflicts and complicit through arms sales.
It’s time for global intervention to end the war, stop the slaughter, and prevent further disintegration of Sudan.
Tomorrow may be too late.
The author is a multi-disciplinary thought leader with Action Bias and an India based impact consultant. He is a keen watcher of changing national and international scenarios. He works as President Advisory Services of Consulting Company BARSYL. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstpost’s views.
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